THE LEDE — State of the Union: We’ve got a jam-packed MT for you today, including above-the-fold coverage of the president’s big speech and reaction from T&I Chairman Bill Shuster and a trio of House lawmakers who are all big voices on transportation issues. Keep reading for a ton of news from the High-Speed Rail Summit, including Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s swan song and former T&I Chairman John Mica’s renewed Amtrak crusade. We’ve also got a preview of today’s T&I hearing and some intel on Ed Rendell’s remarks. But on to the main event. ...

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SOTU RECAP — Deja vu all over again: Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: President Barack Obama bemoans the country’s crumbling infrastructure, offers up a $50 billion package of immediate spending on transportation infrastructure and says we should pay for a long-term boost in spending with war savings. For transportation-watchers, Obama’s speech last night was largely a retread. There were a few new wrinkles — $40 billion of that $50 billion “Fix it First” initiative would be “targeted to the most urgent upgrades, like the 70,000 structurally deficient bridges across the country,” according to a White House blueprint ( http://1.usa.gov/XJivG7). And the president also called for greater private sector investment with a proposal for a “Partnership to Rebuild America” that would bring in more private sector dollars “to upgrade what our businesses need most: modern ports to move our goods." Kathryn recaps the speech for Pros: http://politico.pro/YpPtu5

HOUSE REACTION: MT camped out in a claustrophobic Statuary Hall after the speech, but despite the craziness we tracked down four key transportation lawmakers from the lower chamber. In the name of parity, we even got two from each party — T&I’s Shuster and Railroads panel Chairman Jeff Denham on the GOP side and Oregon Democrats Earl Blumenauer and Peter DeFazio. Read on for the best quotes from the quartet.

Shuster says Obama lied: “He didn’t say anything. We’ve heard some of this stuff before; how’s he going to pay for it? I think he’s lying about CEOs — they want to invest in a country that has high-speed rail? Really? Tell me what CEO said that, that cares about high-speed rail. Manufacturers want to invest in a country that has roads that are built, they want the infrastructure to be right for the transportation system, but to say one of the reasons they’re going to invest in America and manufacturing plants is because of high-speed rail is crazy,” Shuster told MT. Should he be more specific on revenue, Mr. Chairman? “Yeah, he needs to be more specific on everything — more reform, the whole deal.”

Blumenauer eyeing budget: “It was a welcome repeat that had a little more precision and it has a ring here where people are understanding that we’ve got this pent-up demand. I think it’s important that the president keeps at it, we’ll certainly try to support him. We’ve got a transportation bill that’s up in 18 months and that’s the way to keep the nation’s recovery moving,” he said. But what about revenue specifics? “Well, let’s see what comes with the budget. There’s so many moving pieces here that if they’re going to focus on it and use the levers available, I think we’re going to make some real progress.”

Denham not riding the Obama train: “It certainly is encouraging to hear him talk about building things across the nation. The real question is at what cost and where does the money come from? With high-speed rail, again, other countries are doing it. But they’re doing it at a far less cost than we are and they’re doing it in a far greater speeds with greater ridership numbers. So there are definitely places that are working across the country — the Northeast Corridor — but we need to make sure California pencils out.” What about his call for greater private-sector involvement in transportation? “Definitely need more details but it can help. I’ve been looking for the private investor in California high-speed rail for quite some time, they just haven’t been able to make any worthy investment for a private investor to step up. But you’re seeing other infrastructure across the nation is encouraging private investment, possibly something with our ports or our freeways.”

DeFazio focused on delivery: “Yeah, but let’s hope there’s a new emphasis on delivery here,” DeFazio said when MT pointed out the speech was mostly a repeat of past proposals. “We’ll see who the new secretary is. Fifty billion dollars is about one-tenth of what we need for a new emphasis on rebuilding our 20th century infrastructure and building out a world-class 21st century infrastructure. But at least it got a mention and I was really pleased he talked about minimum wage.”

FULL INBOX: We couldn’t fit all of them in without going to 10,000 words, but MT’s inbox was slammed with statements of praise from a slew of transpo groups, including but not limited to AAA, APTA, Building America’s Future, the American Society of Civil Engineers, Reconnecting America, Transportation for America and IBTTA.

THE JOKE THAT FELL FLAT: One of Obama’s jokes didn’t go over too well in a Congress that’s been hit hard for earmarks despite disavowing the process a few years back. “... I know you want these job-creating projects in your district. I’ve seen all those ribbon-cuttings,” Obama said. Only a few people applauded or laughed — but the chamber was mostly silent as the president waited a few seconds for a bigger reaction.

PRE-SPEECH DINNER: MT hears from a trustworthy source that Secretary LaHood and HHS head Kathleen Sebelius spearheaded a dinner at the Monocle before the speech with a ton of Cabinet officials. MT counted 16 top-ranking officials on the guest list — but not Energy Secretary Steven Chu, who was not only the “designated survivor” for the speech but also missed out on the pre-game festivities.

RAIL TALK: Now that the SOTU is dispensed with, let’s go to the front lines of the U.S. passenger rail debate. …

RAY LaHOOD — DOT secretary 2009-2013, HSR champion: MT now gets the feeling each time we cover Ray LaHood’s events that it could be our last time seeing him atop DOT. If his speech at the High-Speed Rail Summit was our last time listening to him as secretary, we will certainly remember LaHood as a champion of high-speed rail to the end. He’s heard the critiques but they won’t stifle Obama’s, LaHood’s and DOT’s vision that HSR is currently in the beginning of a long, expensive, difficult process, just like the Interstate Highway System and Transcontinental Railroad. “There’s no turning back. Do not be dissuaded by a few detractors. Do not be dissuaded by people without a transportation vision,” LaHood advised his audience. “The last group of transportation officials left us an Interstate system. What we will leave to the next generation is high-speed rail.” Burgess has more in today’s POLITICO paper or right here: http://politi.co/WIjgBH

Mum on future, besides HSR booster: LaHood deflected questions about his future and who is on the short list for the secretary job: “I don’t know the answer to any of those questions. I thought we were here to talk about high-speed rail,” he said. “It’s up to the president to decide who he wants to take this job and I have no idea what I’m going to be doing. But I will continue to be passionate about high-speed rail, I can tell you that.”

AMTRAK CHIEF TELLS CONGRESS TO STOP STALLING: Amtrak head Joe Boardman delivered a blistering message that “Congress needs to act” on delivering long-term funding for Amtrak to make critical investments in the Northeast Corridor and the nation’s rail system. “We need five years or more to plan and deliver the projects that need to be done. How do we get there? Only through Congress and the administration,” Boardman said of repairing, maintaining and improving the nation’s busiest passenger rail line. But, he added, it’s been Capitol Hill that’s been stifling Amtrak investment and growth. “Congress needs to stop dithering,” he said at the High-Speed Rail Summit.

Hamburgers and HSR: Part of Boardman’s frustration appears to be the difficult balance Amtrak has to strike between pursuing fast trains and keeping alive thousands of miles of unprofitable cross-country routes. “Amtrak’s not about the price of hamburgers. Nor is Amtrak exclusively about high-speed rail,” Boardman said, a not-so-veiled reference to a frustrating hearing for Amtrak last year in which then-T&I Chairman John Mica bashed his railroad’s food prices. “It’s about operating border-to-border and coast-to-coast.. … It’s about preservation” of existing rail lines, he said. Pros get more from Burgess: http://politico.pro/Ya9pSO

MICA KEEPS EYE ON RAIL PRIVATIZATION: Lest you thought Mica was taking his foot off the pantagraph pedal, the former chairman is back onto his privatization kick. Mica pitched legislation that would open up Amtrak’s routes to private bidding at the summit — news that he’d only broken to Shuster and his staff before the big reveal. The pitch differs from his earlier effort to break off the Northeast Corridor from Amtrak and privatize it and instead would open Amtrak’s routes to private competition. “We won’t have to mess with Amtrak, we’ll continue to let Amtrak replicate the post office on rail wheels and continue with their Soviet-style mentality,” Mica said. Mica has not spoken to Boardman about the proposal. When informed that the Amtrak president had called out Congress for not addressing Amtrak’s structural issues, Mica was unmoved and took a moment to gather one of his trademark zingers: “Amtrak could lose money just going to work in the morning.” Burgess has the full scoop for Pros: http://politico.pro/15akusg

T&I LOOKS AT THE FEDERAL ROLE: The Transportation Committee meets today for a hearing on the federal role in transportation. The three witnesses — Chamber President Tom Donohue, Building America’s Future Co-Chairman Ed Rendell and LIUNA President Terry O’Sullivan — are all outspoken advocates of more federal infrastructure spending. You can watch the 11 a.m. hearing right here: http://1.usa.gov/XZSqkf

Rendell’s plea: MT has it on good authority that Rendell will ask Congress to create a commission that would come up with a long-term infrastructure plan. The former governor also wants a national infrastructure bank. “Make no mistake. There are consequences to the federal government’s failure to adequately invest in the nation’s roads, rails, runways, ports and other systems,” he will say. “Infrastructure is an economic driver and has the added benefit of creating long-term quality jobs. It improves our lives and enhances our economic competitiveness. To put off these investments — or worse, to devolve all responsibility to the states — is simply shortsighted.”

Good news: Just in case you didn’t read the full T&I rules package when it came out last month, MT wants to alert you to this wonderful development: Only the chairman and ranking member can make opening statements at hearings. Statements used to be open to every single member in the room (which used to be 75 members, fell to 59 for the last Congress and now stands at 60). That led to some long and sometimes boring starts to hearings: Secretary LaHood even sat through 90 minutes of opening statements, patiently waiting for his turn to testify on high-speed rail last December. Hopefully you won’t have to bring your hemorrhoid cream this time around.

3407 FAMILIES RALLY ON HILL: The families of victims of a deadly 2009 regional jet crash and their Capitol Hill allies had a warning Tuesday for airlines and their regulators: “We will watch you like hawks.” On the fourth anniversary of the Colgan Air crash, which prompted Congress to enact a slate of aviation safety mandates, Sen. Chuck Schumer and other New York lawmakers joined dozens of people in calling on the FAA to quickly implement and enforce them “properly, fully and without compromise.” Scott has the story for Pros: http://politico.pro/12tKx9V

McDONNELL’S PLAN ON SHAKY GROUND: Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s plan to kill his state’s gas tax and replace it with a raised sales tax took a hit Tuesday as a Senate committee advanced a bill that instead raises the state’s outdated gas tax. The proposal would raise the gas tax at the pump by 5 cents and 1 cent at the wholesale level and allow localities to implement 1-cent regional sales taxes for transportation. If the Senate approves the bill they can to conference with the House. The Richmond Times-Dispatch has more: http://bit.ly/VRWiJH

Across the river: Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley sat down with Senate President Mike Miller to talk to transpo. O’Malley favors raising the state sales tax and dedicating it for transportation, while Miller wants to allow some local taxes and apply a sales tax to gasoline. They aren’t together yet, but they’re talking. WaPo: http://wapo.st/XwH4I6

Way to the West: Utah lawmakers want to pass a bill to send a message to Congress to lower the federal gas tax, so they can raise the state tax. http://bit.ly/VQLtCy

COMMERCE SETS TRANS-PRIORITIES: The Commerce Committee is getting organized today, and we got a hold of a couple of the committee’s priorities, which include job creation through “improving our infrastructure and the public’s safety through key investments in rail, highways and pipelines,” as well as oversight of the FAA’s “efforts to modernize the air transportation system.”

And Banking lays out transit work: The Senate Banking Committee “will continue its work to strengthen federal public transportation programs, oversee implementation of MAP-21 and prepare for the next surface transportation authorization,” the panel said in its agenda for the 113th Congress. The committee also listed a number of specific issues it would work on, including the need for long-term funding sources, new formula funding for tribal areas, transit safety, the state of transit infrastructure and disaster relief. The release has a link to the full agenda doc: http://1.usa.gov/V4Dwia

More committee news: Senate EPW’s Transportation and Infrastructure panel will be chaired by Max Baucus, and John Barrasso will serve as the top Republican (full roster: http://1.usa.gov/15alKf6). The Senate Appropriations THUD panel membership was also announced ( http://1.usa.gov/XHAzAv). Massachusetts Sen. Mo Cowan has been named to Commerce and Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey has been named to the Finance Committee.

WAITING ON ICAO: At GAMA's annual “state of the industry” event, GAMA's head honcho said general aviation is waiting on ICAO to figure out an alternative to the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme just as much as airlines are — maybe more. “Right now the system that's set up for ETS disenfranchises business aviation tremendously,” said GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce. But when it comes to ICAO's progress at negotiating a global solution, he said “there's mixed results from what I'm hearing.” GAMA also issued a year-end report that includes a look at 2013. http://bit.ly/12t6jui

In other ICAO news: The group is considering revoking the rule that lets lithium ion batteries — the same ones that caused the Dreamliner woes — be carried as cargo on planes, sources tell the AP. http://apne.ws/WjpiHk

MT POLL — Dreamliner woes: While we’re on the Dreamliner subject, how serious do you think Boeing’s problems with the 787 are? Will things get worked out in weeks, months, or will things take far longer than we think? Or do you never plan to fly one again, no matter what fixes are made? Maybe the Highway Trust Fund problems are a bigger deal for you. Get your vote in before Sunday at noon: http://bit.ly/UV0to7

MAILBAG — Let’s get connected: ITS America has attracted a large coalition in its push to ensure that connected car tech doesn’t get harmed by a spectrum sharing initiative currently under consideration. Read the letter: http://bit.ly/YaqGLv

NYT SHOCKER: Elon Musk is disputing a New York Times test-drive of his Tesla Model S ( http://nyti.ms/14QCyGY), calling the article “fake” and “ridiculous.” The reporter detailed a nightmare drive from D.C. to Boston where the cold weather seemed to sap the car's battery, made worse by the relative lack of charging stations along the route and eventually forcing him to get the car towed when it shut down. In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Musk said the reporter drove too fast, took an unplanned detour into Manhattan's busy traffic and didn't fully charge the car at the charging stations, all of which hamper its ideal range. “You can’t do that in any car, whether it’s a gasoline car or an electric car and expect to achieve the top range,” he said.

THE COUNTDOWN: The new sequestration deadline is in 16 days and DOT funding runs out in 43 days. Passenger rail policy runs out in 230 days, surface transportation policy in 598 days and FAA policy in 960 days. The mid-term elections are in 629 days.

CABOOSE — LaHood reads the Gettysburg address: Secretary LaHood took part in a ceremony marking the 204th anniversary of President Abe Lincoln’s birth. His Fast Lane blog includes video of him reading part of the Gettysburg address at the Lincoln memorial: http://1.usa.gov/Z8BO0g

** A message from the U.S. Travel Association: To make America competitive again, we need to be connected, to each other and the world. America has zero airports ranked in the top 25 globally, and that's more than just an embarrassment—it's a missed opportunity. Travel is critical to our country's trade balance, since it accounts for ten percent of all exports, and supports one in nine American jobs. If we're not connected through modern airports, America loses out. Investment in our country's infrastructure is an investment in connectivity, which is vital for our people, our economy, and our place on the global stage. Learn more: http://bit.ly/1QLPK5L **

Authors:

About The Author

John Burgess Everett is a congressional reporter for POLITICO. He previously was a transportation reporter for POLITICO Pro, Web producer, helping run POLITICO’s Twitter and Facebook accounts, and a contributor to the On Media blog.

About The Author

Adam Snider is a transportation reporter for POLITICO Pro and author of Morning Transportation. He has covered transportation since 2007, joining POLITICO in 2011 to launch MT and later found the word “Mica-ism.”

Snider is a fan of all modes of transportation, though nothing beats a good silly walk. In his spare time, he can be found brewing a hoppy beer, rooting for the Nationals, watching a bad 1970s horror movie or exploring the District from his home base in Mount Pleasant.

Adam studied English and communications at Clemson University in South Carolina. His work has been featured by Nieman Journalism Lab and his snark has appeared on MSNBC. He has had several works of fiction published in literary journals and is constantly reminded of his proclamation to a fiction professor many years ago that journalism is for sellouts who abandon their creative dreams.